It felt good to have both feet on the ground... or maybe it was just that chatting with a "horse" had been far too strange.
The two left nearly all their gear in the Delamain. V carried nothing, while Arthur only brought along the dagger called Swallow.
Konpeki Plaza prohibited all weapons, and they weren't about to make trouble. Flathead, however, was already included in their forged identity files—officially "registered."
Carrying the case, they strolled confidently through the Konpeki Plaza's main entrance...
The red walls rose seamlessly around them, the color flowing upward from the path leading to the door. Above, strips of light arched in smooth curves, softening what might otherwise have been too rigid a design.
On either side, holographic planters projected pink blossoms. The Japanese certainly seemed to favor that shade.
This wasn't Arthur's first time here. Last time had been some high-society banquet—he'd only gotten in thanks to V.
Just then, a comms ping flashed across his vision. The letter "T" appeared, and Arthur knew immediately who it was.
Answering, he saw the quiet woman who usually sat beside Dexter appear on the screen.
"Hello! Can you hear me?" Her tone was steady, but there was tension beneath it. Clearly, she wasn't as calm as she let on.
"Yeah," Arthur answered flatly, offering nothing more.
"I'll establish a secure channel for real-time comms... Also, remember your cover files..." She continued, but Arthur cut her off.
"How about this? Give me... I don't know, a bodyguard role." Glancing at V beside him, he spoke into the comm.
"Alright. In that case... Just stay in touch." With that, T-Bug signed off and moved on to the others.
...
The same row of scanners stood ahead. Several security staff in sharp suits held out their hands. "Please cooperate with the security check."
V stepped forward first. She passed through the glowing grid without issue.
Arthur followed close behind. For a split second, his vision blurred as the beams scanned him—then the lights flashed red.
"Hold it!"
The suited guard blocked his path with an arm.
"You may need additional screening..." Adjusting his glasses, the guard eyed the case in Arthur's hands. "Explain why you're bringing a combat robot into Konpeki Plaza."
Arthur shrugged, glancing toward V, who was already inside. "I'm just... the bodyguard."
V looked back and offered an explanation. "We're in the arms trade..."
At that moment, a concierge in golden attire noticed the commotion. Hearing V's words, he hurried over.
"Miss..." With a terminal in hand, he asked politely, "Are you here to see Mr. Coleman?"
When V nodded, the concierge bowed deeply. "My apologies! A misunderstanding." With a few taps on his terminal, the warning lights faded back to their calm blue.
Arthur was finally through.
"Come on, bodyguard!" V called with a grin, giving him a once-over. "Bodyguard? Should've brought Jackie—he's got the build for it."
"Please... I wouldn't guard someone like you. Save that service for highborn ladies in castles." Arthur shot back.
"What's that? What's that?" Jackie's voice suddenly crackled over comms—his name must've triggered his attention. "Everything smooth on your end?"
"Haha..." V laughed, answering him. "We're fine. Just saying Arthur doesn't really look the part of a bodyguard. A bit too skinny, don't you think?"
Their casual banter continued as V collected their room info from the front desk, and the two headed for the elevator deeper inside.
Like all Arasaka buildings, the style was dark and oppressive. Dim lights fell across the lobby, where a glass enclosure displayed lush plants at its center.
In Night City, such a touch of nature was the height of extravagance... In this city, it seemed only weeds managed to thrive.
"Last time I came here, it was to humor that bitch Abernathy... Funny, I still don't know where she ended up." V said as the elevator rose.
If she'd just mentioned the name, Arthur might not have remembered. But with the context, it came back to him.
That woman in the AV with V.
"I told you last time—don't go dragging yourself back into that mess. We should turn around and leave right now." Arthur frowned, watching the floor numbers climb.
Still, curiosity got the better of him. "So what happened to Arasaka... and those damn Fixers?"
"Abernathy vanished. She knew the cost of failure and was smart enough not to return. She'd been an exec too long not to have a backup plan. Her two dogs under her? Gone for good.
As for the Fixers... Jenkins went after that disgusting bug with too many eyes—probably crushed him. The other one? No clue. You told me not to pry, remember?"
V's explanation ended there, but her expression showed satisfaction.
The express elevator was fast. Before long, the doors slid open.
The hallway outside was spotless. They didn't walk far before arriving at their suite.
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser